Dear Jasminda, “On the weekend, my partner and I went to a Murder Mystery Lunch. We have since decided that we would actually prefer to remain in character. Is it okay to do this indefinitely? Cardinal Matteo Rossi. Dear Cardinal, I’m assuming that is your Murder Mystery name and not your current moniker and occupation. […]
AI
Letter to the Editor: rainfall record for Port Macquarie
Dear News Of The Area I keep rainfall records for Port Macquarie. August is our driest month. The median is 53.1mm (Hill Street 1841 to 2002). So far this month it is 358mm (airport). BUT the biggest August rainfall was 775mm in 1899. There were two others – in 1843 (395mm) and 1879 (384mm). So […]
Letter to the Editor: ‘appalling misallocation’ of funding
Dear News Of The Area THE chance to register opposition to spending $20 million to upgrade the Pacific and Oxley Highway roundabout at Thrumster – “The Donut” – ends at midnight next Monday. In my submission, I will be arguing that this project is an appalling misallocation of road funding and should be postponed indefinitely. […]
OPINION: The future of regional business is in our hands
DEAR News Of The Area, ACROSS regional Australia, business owners are voicing the same concern. Times remain tough. Despite growth in our population, many businesses are still struggling. Poor weather, global unrest, uncertain economic conditions, the relentless invasion of online shopping and the unyielding negativity of media are all factors making it harder for local […]
Have your say on foreshore plan for Lake Cathie
THE draft Lake Cathie Foreshore Master Plan Review is now on public exhibition, with residents invited to have their say. “The draft builds on the 2018 Master Plan for this area and has been updated to reflect today’s challenges, opportunities, and aspirations for this much-loved space,” Port Macquarie-Hastings Council said in a statement. “From improved […]
Rate Cut
Letter to the Editor: Roundabout roadworks
DEAR News Of The Area, I WOULD like to draw your readers attention to the ongoing road works just south of Lake Cathie that hundreds of motorists must traverse each day at 40km/h. This project to install a roundabout on Ocean Drive was begun last year and is about 300 metres in length. For some […]

Top Tip: How to get media attention and land your story in the paper
AS someone who wears two hats – newspaper reporter and marketing agency owner – I see first-hand the difference between stories that get picked up quickly and those that stall in the inbox. The good news? Most community organisations already have great stories to tell. The challenge is in how that information is shared with […]
‘On the couch’ with Jasminda
DEAR Jasminda, AFTER a couple of weeks away, my husband and I have realised that we get along much better when we are away from home. Our relationship improved, we both relaxed for the first time in a long time, and it became apparent that we are soft touches and often feel that others take […]